Trinkets, tidbits, kipple even.
The little things that one accumulates sometimes irrationally but that mean so much at the time.

A tin box, a concert stub, a pocket knife.
Little things, sometimes useful, sometimes just a reminder of a time and place, for whatever reason, however silly.
Sometimes just to bring some semblance of normalcy to an alien situation.

A friend used to carry a porcelain cup with him in his backpack. He would go out for weeks on end, this cup carefully tucked away.
He found it in an old abandoned cabin, miles from nowhere. Caught in a freak blizzard, he found this cabin, more holes than walls and roof, but a little protection. To alleviate the boredom, waiting for the storm to pass, he dug around the cabin and found this single porcelain tea cup.
That cup travelled everywhere from that point on, every trip, every hike. It lived in his backpack.
A talisman with mystical powers? Good luck piece? A civilized way to sip a cup of tea while the world goes mad? Perhaps all.

I can’t add anything substantial to the many good comments after the article, plus WB’s response above – except “thank you.” After all the preps, it’s necessary to be reminded of what that reality is like – ahead of time.

GS
"Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land."

Part 2:
With all the negative comments about “normalcy bias”, one has to understand that this isn’t that.

It’s a pocket of normalcy, a hook to hang ones humanity upon.

Many years ago, a TV series actually showed this, whether or not they knew it.
Black Sheep Squadron, “A Little Piece of England” episode.
At the end of the show, the coast watcher speaking to the lost pilot being rescued. Facing unknown hardships, etc., he could handle it because he still had his flag and a little spot of tea. “A little piece of England”

Normalcy bias would be the little old lady getting dressed up and walking out on the street by the Arnhem bridge, going who knows where while bullets fly everywhere.

Attachments:

The endless rain of tomahawk missiles never seems to cease. UFOs oppressive dirty smelly politics. Trade you an airfield for a pallet of cash. Pawn for a pawn. Assad for a Kim, Bannon for a Jared.
One nasty spring this year. March… in like a lion out like a tiger. Les fleurs du mal.

At the risk of taking Selco’s excellent article further off topic, it appears that we could be yet another step (of many recent steps) closer to the SHTF Selco has been trying to prepare us for. So much for any plausible theory that Putin would be content to “govern” his side of the planet, and leave us to our side. Don’t just read the first part, but go all the way to the end and see that the “GPS facility” on the side of the volcano in Nicaragua, isn’t the only facility the Russians have built recently on this side of the planet.

We’re pushing Russia away with this Syrian cr@p, and China will align with Russia will align with China (intentionally circular). And if we’re not careful, China isn’t going to do a darn thing with Lil’ Kim. We could end up being aligned with NOBODY before this is all over. Candidate Trump is quickly turning out to not be President Trump, and his cabinet appears to be “inexplicably” (hah hah!) steering him to a new war – or two, or three. Anyone who doesn’t see the Deep State heavily and hard at work in virtually everything is, in my estimation – oh, never mind; don’t want to raise the temperature around any snowflakes.

One thing’s for sure: it’s been said that “if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” And anyone NOT prepared but not feeling any fear, is either absurdly clueless, or just plain stupid. Thank you Selco for both the physical prep instruction, and particularly for the mental/emotional prep instruction.

GS
"Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land."

It looks more like we’re unable to govern our side of the planet. Who even mentions the crisis in Venezuela in the news. But the side effect of taking out Assad is millions of refugees instead of hundreds of thousands. Mudhammad’s would always give them a choice, switch or die. President Trump is going to destabilize Europe. The Europe that can’t get its act together now will collapse under the jihad. There is no comingling of sharia and freedom. The Eurobond is trash. Free fire zone over Syria. The Russians have taken the gloves off … In disgust.

As for China. President Trump tries to make a deal with China he’ll get cheated. Land in the red east is the most expensive in the world. If he thinks Assad is bad I’m certain Kim is worse. He’s been trying to suck the u-s into a war for years. Probably with China’s approval, not condemnation. 1! Carrier group into battle. Lol

I’m think all the prepping is going ballistic. There will be a war on the Homefront. The savages attacking people trying to talk at colleges will start one.

Humanity is remarkably resilient as long as there is hope. We have to be able to see light at the end of the tunnel to get through the hard times. Even so, we don’t come out of it the same; but then such is life in any case. Sometimes the hope is a return to a more civilized existence, sometimes it is just being able to find a stable niche in a brave new world to occupy. It can be insurmountable for some, who had plans and dreams that can no longer be. It is a fortunate few who manage to make the adjustment to accept whatever may come and be content that it is enough for now. Determination.
One such moment I caught a glimpse of. We were egressing from an ambush of sorts, and as we turned the corner, there was a mother walking her two children to school. Maybe not more than 200 yards from where we were taking fire. She did not seem overly concerned, and only briefly paused as we drove by. Action.
I recall my Solzhenitsyn, no matter how dim, one must have something to live for. Those who give up simply perish. I suppose we all have those concerns in life for which, if lost, would take with it any reason we have to go on. I can endure much, but I can’t endure all. Fortunately, we all must die sometime. For some, life is joy, for a lot more I think, life is just waking up another day. Good or bad, it comes to an end. After that, life won’t matter much one way or the other. I don’t reckon it matters too much what you believe in; once life is done, so is any concern we have about it. At least in that, we all share a common trait. No matter what you may think awaits your future, one thing is certain. Your cares about what happens in this world, good or bad, is done.
One must realize that the only real control they have in this life (ergo choice) is how they will respond to it. Things will happen regardless of what you do or don’t do, and you can choose to accept it or not. The choice will not necessarily change any outcome. It will simply determine whether or not you get to enjoy the life you have, much like the figurative roller coaster ride granny talked about in the Steve Martin movie “Parenthood”. Acceptance.

I have a rendezvous with death. Alan Seeger. Even if you think you will live thru this… You probably won’t. The historical necessity of following the lemming herd over the cliff is overwhelming. PBS series ww1 in three parts started tonight. And so it goes. I am the master of my soul. I am the captain of my fate. Invictus. A is A. Make your choice. Things will happen, that’s a certainity.

There’ve been plenty of sovereign’s in this world who’ve lived truly miserable lives. Having it all is not the same as wanting it all. You can be surrounded by wealth, have power over the masses, and friends/relatives to the horizon, and still be discontent. That is an irony of our existence. Some who have nothing have everything, and some who have everything, nothing. It is all about choice.